Darkness and Shadows
by Dark Saint
Summary: Gennai summons the DigiDestined back to the DigiWorld to defeat the newest threat. Can they fulfill yet another of his infamous 'prophecies'?
1. Chapter 1

Greetings from the Dark Realms! Whoo boy I've been gone for a while, ne? Well I'm BACK! No wait! Don't run! I won't hurt you I promise! Geez I'm not that scary am I? *looks at everyone in the Y!Group that knows her* Don't answer that. I promise to try to be around more often to post all the stories and junk that I've put off writing for the past year or so.  
  
Anyhew, this was the FIRST EVER idea of a songfic, regular fic, WHATEVER that I _EVER_ tried to write in my life. That was about one and a half years ago shortly after I started watching Digimon. So that means that there is no chance of seeing Season 02 characters in this, because I didn't know they were going to exist. That also tells you no 03 characters. In fact, I haven't really been able to catch much about 03 due to school and junk, so I doubt I'll be writing about those guys anytime soon.  
  
Anyway, the story takes place about a year after the DigiDestined defeat all of the dark masters. Gennai has summoned them back to defeat yet another evil Didi-thing and well, yeah that's the basic plot I guess. I have about 3 chapters of this already written and then stopped when I started getting other ideas in my head, so I'll post those and see if you people think I should try to continue with what I originally thought up for this fic or not. Sound good? Okay then! I'll shut up and let you read! Please remember to review at the end, otherwise I won't know to continue or not. Flames are DEFINITELY welcomed for once! Alrighty then? ON WITH THE FIC!!!!! -DS-  
  
  
  
  
-Darkness and Shadows-  
Part One  
  
  
  
Darkness. Pure as night. Black nothingness that surrounded the entire world. Capturing everything that it could grasp, including one solitary, already darkened soul. That is what his life had been until that distant day that kept sweeping further and further down the path of history. The day that his chapter of childhood closed and the book of adulthood opened.  
  
Nothing had been the same since that day. The darkness was still there, hidden among him. Yet there was a glow that had been lost for over four years that began to shine again. A light through the thick forest of loneliness that had almost completely tore out his soul. At that time he had learned to open his eyes to the new world around him and find that there would always be someone who loved him and cared about him. But now even those years had flown away with time, and hold habits do come back to haunt.  
  
Now there he sat in another of Mr. Fujiyama's boring history lessons. The only thing keeping him alive was the sweet thought of his meeting with Sora that afternoon at lunch. She had told him that she had something serious to tell him at lunch. Whether or not she had told anyone else this "secret" was unknown to him, but he kept thinking of what she might need to tell him. He could just see it now...  
  
"There's something I need to say...I've wagered the offers and thought long and hard about each path...He is nothing compared to you...So my conclusion is that....if you don't wake up you'll FAIL THIS COURSE!"  
  
What? That wasn't Sora's voice! Where did it come from. He hated to think! Quickly opening his eyes, the vision of a very agitated Mr. Fujiyama towered over the boy.  
  
"Sorry, Mr. Fujiyama. I was just picturing that horrible day that I experienced the Heighten View Terrace bombing and the traumatic effect it had on my family."  
  
"Yes, well, I'm glad that you're thinking of something pertaining to the topic. But perhaps you could save that for _after_ I am done with the lesson."  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
"As I was saying..." Mr. Fujiyama continued.  
  
Brushing back a few blond pieces of hair, Matt Ishida closed his eyes and went back to visioning the beautiful Sora and their lunch together that afternoon.  
  
. . . . . . . . . . . .  
  
Across the room, Tai Kamiya shook his head. Wouldn't Matt ever learn to actually _try_ to listen in class? Then maybe he wouldn't have to take the same course two years in a row! Oh well. Probably too occupied with the hard time that he was going through with the new marriage quickly approaching. Who would have thought his dad would have actually found time to date with all the work he had been doing lately? At least it would give him and TK time to be together while their dad was on his honeymoon.  
  
It seemed strange to Tai how much Matt had slipped into his old self. After leaving the DigiWorld both had been what seemed like the best of friends. But now they fought more often than ever! And Matt had also slipped back into his "tough-guy" attitude lately. His sarcasticness was nothing new and all of that gel in his hair made one wonder if it didn't seep through into his brain! He had changed so much since the end of that adventure and Tai missed the Matt that he had become.  
  
But why was he ripping on Matt for his changes? I mean sure the guy was a real jerk again but no one was perfect, right? In fact, they all had changed at least a bit as time passed...  
  
Izzy was still the little computer genius, but with a little more sense of adventure. He was able to catch his intellectual speech and explain things simpler around the guys. Yes Izzy had actually been able to get out into the real world recently. It seemed that ever since his parents had actually told him he was adopted that Izzy was able to once in a while leave behind his computer and hang out with the gang.  
  
Unlike Izzy, Mimi's brain still didn't seem to function much and her outfits seemed to get shorter and shorter by the day, but she was actually able to force out some good ideas now and then.  
  
Joe was still as panicky as ever! But after he was able to stand up to his dad about the whole "your gonna be a doctor" predicament, he had taken charge of his life and even started to get into sports. Well, reporting about sports for the school newspaper counted, didn't it?  
  
Little TK had begun to shoot up and was now almost the tallest in his class. When you gazed at him he looked like a mini-Matt. But in his eyes you could still see that little innocent guy that laughed and cried with tiny Patamon. Man how he missed Patamon, Agumon, and those guys!  
  
Kari hadn't really changed all too much. She still rarely thought of herself and her eyes still shined with wonder, but her mind and looks had begun to change the most. She, too, had grown since those Digidays and no longer needed Tai to look after her. And to add to that she and TK also kept in touch a lot since he and his mom moved just outside of Odaiba. The other kids would have fun teasing Matt and Tai about becoming relatives sometime soon, but that seemed like old news by now.  
  
Sora, lovely, brainy, tomboy-ish Sora was just starting to transform in front of Tai's eyes. Mimi had introduced her to some of her friends and now Sora was starting to wear skirts and high-step shoes to school, not to mention a little bit of eyeshadow now and then, instead of her usual jeans and sports shirt. Sure she looked terrific but Tai kinda missed his best friend at soccer practice to actually challenge his skill.  
  
And Tai, well....ummm....There was always that his hair...And then his attitude....What about his clothes...no....uhhhh. Well, when he really thought about it, he was the one that hadn't changed much at all! Brushing back his still uncontrollable hair he felt those same blue goggles he had worn that entire trip. Although they did fit a bit better now! But he still had that leader character in him and tried to boss the gang around...a lot. And much against Kari's wishes, Tai often found himself stepping in and trying to protect her in situations that he knew she could handle on her own. Probably the only thing that had changed about him was his voice being deeper and his punches coming down harder on Matt.  
  
Tai closed his eyes and wondered if all of that Digital World junk had really happened. It all seemed so long ago that it was like a nightmare-ish dream that still haunted him. But it was real. He knew that deep in his heart. And that promise that he had made Agumon of them always being friends still echoed in his mind along with many other moments. Like the first time that they had met...  
  
  
~"Koromon?!! Is that short for 'talking head'?"~  
  
~"It means 'brave little warrior' and don't you forget it, Tai!"~  
  
  
...he couldn't help but chuckle as he thought of his friend who probably now didn't even remember him ever existing! All those fun times that they had spent together! Even if they did have to destroy many Digimon and almost getting killed many times themselves. What Tai wouldn't give to go through it all again. To see Koromon... Agumon... Greymon just one...more...time!...  
  
*Beeeeeeeep* *Beeeeeeeep*  
  
Huh? What was that? Probably just someone's watch going off.  
  
*Beeeeeeeep* *Beeeeeeeep*  
  
"Mr. Kamiya! Would you please stop disrupting class! One troublemaker is more than enough, isn't it Mr. Ishida?!" the teacher barked as both Matt and Tai jumped up.  
  
"Wha? But I'm not doing anything, sir!" Tai said, astounded.  
  
*Beeeeeeeep*  
  
"Would you please turn off that watch of yours!" Mr. Fujiyama groaned. "I would like to finish the lesson before the bell rings!"  
  
Watch? What watch? Tai hadn't brought a watch to school that day.  
  
*Beeeeeeeep* *Beeeeeeeep*  
  
But that noise was coming from _his_ pocket!  
  
*Beeeeeeeep*  
  
"MR. KAMIYA!!!"  
  
"I'm getting it, sir!" Tai said while reaching into his jeans. How could his watch be going off when he didn't have one?!! But wait...had he put....no he couldn't have...could he? It couldn't be...could it? After all this time?  
  
Tai's hand emerged, grasped around a small, beeping electronic. But how could it be? There was no possible way that it could happen! No...possible.....way........  
  
As the bell rang, all of the kids in the class raced out the door to head for lunch. All except one. Tai sat in his seat for the longest time, then slowly forced himself to rise. His eyes never left that small, noisy toy in his palm. He didn't dare move. All that he could do was stand next to his desk....staring.  
  
The Digivice had come to life once more! 


	2. Chapter 2

Greetings to all of you who came back! Tis I, Dark Saint! Writer of this apparently unenjoyable fic and lover of MORE REVIEWS! C'mon folks! If you like it - say so! If ya don't - say so! Thank you to 'Butterfly' for reviewing. I dedicate the posting of this next chapter to you, for you are the soul reason I decided to post this next chapter.   
That and thanks to Dragonboy for posting it for me since my computer apparently doesn't get along with this site's uploading system.... *glare at computer* Bad computer...  
Anyhew, without further delay... here's part two! PS - please review at the end. Thank you. -DS-  
  
  
  
Darkness and Shadows: Part Two  
  
  
  
Matt walked quickly out of the room, making a mad dash for his locker. He wanted to make sure that he was able to meet Sora as soon as possible. Throwing his books in, he slammed it shut and turned for the cafeteria. Perfect! Only a few kids ahead in the line. Then off to find Sora!  
  
There she was, sitting at the usual table in the corner near the windows where the gang always ate lunch together. But there was something different. Though her make-up made her face shine her eyes told a tale of sadness and distraught. Maybe the news wasn't as good as Matt had hoped!  
  
He carefully walked closer to the table, attempting to not spill the steaming hot food, if that's what you could call it, but stopped a couple tables away. In rushed Tai, books and all, and threw them on the table. Sora woke with a jolt. She stared at Tai, who was rambling on and on about something in his hand. Suddenly her eyes grew wide as if Tai had gone insane. She stood as if trying to calm him down.  
  
After they spoke for a few more moments, Tai slammed his fist on the table, sending Sora back in her chair. He grabbed his books and pushed past everyone between him and the doors. When he knocked over Izzy, who was heading for the lunch line, he didn't even stop to say sorry. Something was really wrong with him, but Matt didn't want to think. He started to walk again and took a seat next to Sora.  
  
"Hi." he said cooly.  
  
"Hi." Sora responded, obviously trying to hide what had just happened. But Matt didn't even want to worry about Tai right now. All he wanted to know was what Sora had to tell him.  
  
"Umm, so you said that you wanted to talk to me before school today..." Matt started.  
  
"Oh, yeah. Well..." Sora said. "I wanted to wait for the others to come before I told anyone..."  
  
Man, oh, man! So maybe it hadn't been what he had been thinking. And he was sure she would say...but if she wanted to tell the others then it must not have been something that the two of them should share. Darn it!  
  
"Ok. I'll wait."   
  
"Well, actually, Matt," stammered Sora. "There is something I would like to talk to just you about."  
  
Yes! Score! Maybe he was gonna hear what he wanted to after all. But he's got to keep his cool! She knew that his tough-guy image was coming back. So all he did was shrug his shoulders and say, "Shoot."  
  
Sora sighed. It seemed like this was hard for her to say. But this wasn't that big of a deal. People told each other that they liked them everyday. Matt tried to suppress a grin forming at the corner of his mouth as she turned to face him with the hint of tears in her eyes. "I'm really worried about Tai."  
  
Matt's smile quickly vanished. That was _completely_ out of range of anything that he could have thought she would say. Sora continued,  
  
"I mean, each time that he looks at me, I sense disapproval in his eyes. It's like he thinks there's something wrong with me or that I just came out of a garbage can or something."  
  
Matt couldn't help but find that remark a little funny and chuckle.  
  
"Yesterday we were supposed to meet at the movies. He showed up all in smiles. But then when he saw me, he stopped, stared, and the smiled faded. At first I had thought he was staring at me, not at me. I mean, Mimi had dressed me up that afternoon so that I would look nice: soft blue sweater, semi-short blue skirt, white knee socks, and blue high-healed shoes."  
  
Matt sat in silence. He could just picture Sora in that array of heavenly blue, stunning as an angel. Tai would have had to have been stupid not to gape at her in an outfit like that!  
  
"But..." Sora continued, her voice starting to crack, "He finally spoke. And when he did, he said..."  
  
  
~*~flashback to Sora and Tai's date~*~  
  
  
"...Sora..."  
  
"Yes Tai?"  
  
"Wh...wh...wha...."  
  
"Tai, are you ok?"  
  
"What the heck are you wearing?!!!"  
  
His eyes had popped out of his head as though he were staring at their Digimon pals chowing down on well...almost anything! That's just as much of a disgusting site as anything.  
  
"This?" she had glanced down at her ensemble. "Oh, Mimi helped me pick it out. Do you like it?"  
  
Tai had just stood there, glaring at her, while she turned around modeling for him. She had stopped abruptly and held his glare as he said,  
  
"Sora, what have you DONE to yourself?"  
  
  
~*~fade back reality~*~  
  
  
"...We had a huge argument. Him telling me how he had 'lost his best friend to the world of fashion' and me protesting that I hadn't changed, only my outfit had for that one night." finished Sora.  
  
After a long pause, she turned to Matt, tears staining her eyes, "Matt, what did I do wrong? You know how much I love Tai! If he really loved me then wouldn't he at least _try_ to accept my new...image..." the word caught in her throat as if foreign and illegal.  
  
Matt sat, staring at her. God! Even when she was on the verge of a breakdown she was hot! But he couldn't let his mind wander into that right now. His friend was in trouble, not really, but closer than he wanted her to ever be. He knew that if he truly loved her that he would have to let her go. Let her go to be with the one that she truly belonged with. No matter how hard that would be on his already heavy heart. But how could he tell her that what he was about to say he didn't know for sure? All he and Tai had done recently was fight over something, over nothing, over anything that they could think of.  
  
He put his hand under her chin and turned her head up so that she could look straight into his eyes. "Sora," Matt began, "I know, that Tai loves you, with all of his heart." Why was this so hard to say? "And that he would give anything for you, even his life if necessary. I know from what you told me that it doesn't sound like it, but he was only showing his love for you. He's afraid that he's losing you to...how should I put it...."  
  
"...Mimi's crowd?" Sora began to smile through her tears.  
  
Matt nodded, "Yeah! Tai has always known you as the girl-that-could-whoop-him-anyday-at-soccer. The girl that would never give a second thought to wearing jeans and an overly-sized sweatshirt, yet alone what the boys would think about her. But now he has to look and see this lovely young woman, in frills and make-up, and it positively just doesn't seem right in his world."  
  
"But we've all changed! Why can't he see that?"  
  
Matt shook his head. "Yes, we've all changed Sora. But notice, how? You're starting to be more...girlish. Me, I've grown more understanding of others, just don't let the secret out, k?"  
  
Sora giggled and nodded in agreement.  
  
"...Mimi, well, she's become a bit more...smart over the years. Joe has overcome some of his fears and should be on the verge of telling his dad to let him lead his own life. Izzy I can sum up in ten words: Mr-I'm-so-smart-I-think-I'll-skip-a-grade. But if you notice he hasn't been on that computer as much lately. And then TK and Kari, well, there's so many it would take all lunch to mention. Finally we have Tai. Lovable, courageous, ready for action Tai Kamiya. How has he changed?"  
  
Matt leaned back in his chair, waiting for Sora to reply. She rested her chin in her hand, deep in thought. Finally, she spoke.  
  
"Well, actually, you're right, Matt. Tai hasn't really changed since we came back from the DigiWorld."  
  
"Exactly!" Matt sat forward again, "And you were the last one to change. You, Sora Takenouchi, his best friend in the whole world. So why shouldn't he be upset."  
  
Sora looked taken aback. "Oh my God, Matt. What if you're right? What if I'm what's causing Tai all this grief and hallucinations of hearing Agumon 'calling to him' and all this?!"  
  
"What a minute, what did you say?" Agumon calling to him? There was no possible way! Right?  
  
"Hey guys! Mimi and Joe walked up, carrying lunch trays. They sat down across from Sora and Matt, each with a smiling look on their faces. Matt could tell that they had been discussing their recent 'date' that was coming up, mainly since Mimi was all giggles and Joe was mostly flustered. Not out of the usual, but one could just tell.  
  
"Let's talk about this later" he whispered to Sora as the two sat. She nodded in reply.  
  
"Hi guys. Did anyone catch what was wrong with Tai?" Izzy came running up.  
  
"Uh-huh." "Nope" "Not at all" "Maybe he was sick from those poisonous fumes coming from the chemistry wing!" came the replies.  
  
"Hmmm..." Izzy thought while he sat down. "Anyway, who called this little 'meeting'?  
  
Sora raised her hand, "I did."  
  
"Well what's wrong? You don't seem too happy about calling us together, Sora." stated Mimi.  
  
Joe rolled his eyes "Oh this is just great! Something really terrible has happened like you're dying of cancer and their's no cure or the school is closing down all scholarships or we're getting kicked out of school. Huh! That's it! I failed a class and you just don't want me to have to hear the news alone, right?"  
  
"Joe....breathe...." Matt said slowly. Same old Joe...  
  
Sora took a deep breath, "No, Joe, we're not getting kicked out, I'm not _that_ sick, and for all I've known the school doesn't give out very good scholarships anyway. But yes something is wrong."  
  
"I knew it!"  
  
Sora took another deep breath as Izzy, Matt, Joe, and Mimi sat in anticipation at her next words. They were two, lonely, cold words...  
  
"I'm moving." 


End file.
